Track 1. English Studies in Literature

Students majoring in the English Studies in Literature track are required to take courses that ground them in medieval to contemporary periods. Students should consult with department advisers regularly about course offerings and degree requirements. Students can also consult with faculty about preparation for advanced literary studies and scholarship, or careers associated with literary history, research, publishing, editing, and archiving.

Track 2. English Studies Leading to Secondary Licensure in English Language Arts

English majors who seek licensure to teach English Language Arts at the secondary level should consult with the coordinator of the English licensure program at the earliest possible date. Undergraduate majors normally apply for admission to the program at the end of the sophomore year, except in the case of transfer students, who normally apply during their first semester at NIU. Students who already possess the baccalaureate or higher degree and wish to pursue licensure without becoming a candidate for a degree should consult the coordinator of educator licensure in English as early as possible.

Admission Requirements

Completion of Foundational Studies in English composition (ENGL 103-ENGL 203, or ENGL 204), oral communication, and quantitative literacy with a grade of C or better in each course used to satisfy these requirements.

A cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 based on a minimum of 15 semester hours of NIU course work.

Completion of at least 9 semester hours of English at NIU, which must include ENGL 200, ENGL 207, and ENGL 300C. Educator licensure candidates must earn a minimum grade of B- in ENGL 300C and a minimum grade of C in other English courses. Required overall English GPA is 3.00.

Written application and satisfactory interview with the program coordinator.

Passing score on the Test of Academic Proficiency, or equivalent recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Retention

Candidates for secondary licensure in English Language Arts must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75 in all work at NIU plus a minimum GPA of 3.00 in English course work at NIU beyond ENGL 103-ENGL 203 or ENGL 204. Candidates must obtain a grade of B or better in ENGL 404, ENGL 479, ENGL 480, and ENGL 482, and have a satisfactory review of progress with the coordinator each semester. Courses listed below are aligned with Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and the National Council of Teachers of English standards for preparation of teachers of Secondary English Language Arts. Teacher licensure candidates should save appropriate evidence of content-area knowledge for their pre-service portfolio.

Requirements in Department (47-52)

ENGL 404, ENGL 479, ENGL 480, ENGL 482, and ENGL 485 must be taken in sequence. ENGL 480 and ENGL 482 must be taken in the semester immediately prior to enrollment in ENGL 485 Licensure candidates are admitted to ENGL 485 only upon application, review of their academic record and professional disposition, and satisfactory completion of all other work required for graduation, including all other work in the major.

Requirements Outside Department (9-21)

Fulfillment of B.A. foreign language requirement (0-12).
See “Foreign Language Requirement for the B.A. Degree” in the Other Graduation Requirements section of this catalog.

Students seeking licensure should consult the coordinator as early as possible.

Additional Requirements

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) requires a minimum of 100 clock hours of substantial, varied, and sequential clinical experiences prior to student teaching. This requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing the following courses.

Also Required

The ISBE and requirements for educator licensure in English Language Arts at NIU also specify that candidates in Track 2 must earn a grade of C or better for each course included in required professional course work in reading instruction, human growth and development, and teaching of English Language Learners and exceptional children. Candidates should consult with the coordinator in English licensure to determine which courses satisfy these additional requirements outside the department.

In addition, candidates for secondary licensure in English must pass the Illinois examination for licensure in English Language Arts content, the Illinois Assessment for Professional Teaching (APT), and the Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA).

Requirements for Middle School Licensure in English Language Arts (30)

The ISBE specifies that candidates earn a C or better in each course required for educator licensure. The ISBE strongly recommends at least 33 hours of preparation in the candidate’s primary subject area of middle-school licensure. The following are minimum English department requirements:

Total Hours for a Major in English, Track 2: 56-68

Track 3. English Studies in Writing

Students majoring in Studies in Writing should balance technical and creative writing classes to assemble a portfolio that demonstrates to prospective employers their fullest range of writing practices. Students serious about a writing career should also consult with advisers about internships. Students will ground their writing in a substantive understanding of language analysis, literary analysis, literary history, critical thinking, and the major literary genres. Students may also earn the certificate of undergraduate study in Creative Writing.

Students should consult with the English department adviser about selecting courses outside the department.

If the required 39 credit hours in English are satisfied, additional course work in writing may include the following: